liveoffroad

Summary:
1984 4runner
37" NITTO's
4.7 single t-case
5.29 diff's
rear detroit, front e-locker
7mge - now 3.4
60" chevy rears
hybrid rear-up-front packs -3 link in progress


INDEX:
Interior Cargo light; page: 2
Installing Pusher-fans with a 7mge; page: 3
CB and interior upgrades; page: 7
Slider build; page: 11
Chevy springs with no overload; page: 13
60" suburban springs vs 64" truck springs; page: 17
stretching the rear; page: 18
No wheel-spacer front axle build; page: 22
Tundra brake upgrade; page: 24





Background:
this build started in 2009, unfortunately i didn't grab pictures of the engine swap.
I picked up the truck for a few hundred bucks. the guy was right in the middle of an "re" conversion and had the wiring harness pulled out and all of the interior piled loosely in the back.
When I got it home and started going through everything, i realized the "re" conversion was in the beginning stages and would require a decent amount of time to finish. so I decided i might as well do an engine swap.

After a few months of research, i decided to go with a 7mge.
-over double the stock horsepower
-minimal fabrication required
-no turbo to try to keep cool
-fairly simple wiring

I picked up a 7mge and all the wiring off craigslist and had a buddy go through it at a local shop and rebuild the top end. With a lot of help from supracharged.com, we had it in and running within a few months.

Here's a list of a few of the major parts:

gas tank (88 3.0 v6 4runner)
- i would probably opt for a 4 cyl (22re) tank if i did it again, i like the larger tank capacity of this one but it hangs down a lot further and now has several dents.

sr5 guage cluster (88 3.0 v6 4runner)

Radiator ('93 3.0 v6 4runner) - direct bolt in!

exhaust:
- i did 2.5 all the way back, with a crossover behind the t-case. i would definitely go with 2 1/4 if i did it again, and i would probably do the crossover behind the bell-housing.
*edit: ran 2" from the header back with a magnaflow glasspack coupled to a thrush muffler.

Fuel lines: ran a new hard line from the tank and used the old one as the return.

i'll keep updating this list as i think of things to add.


Next: suspension

I wanted to keep the ride height as low as possible, but still have some decent articulation.

-Went with 63” chevy’s in the back, with 11” bilsteins
*edit: upgraded to 12" bilsteins with a little steeper angle
helpful info here: https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f115.../#post51969565

-hybrid packs up front using the stock main
*edit: now running "ruf" packs

overall, I was happy with the ride. Kept stock steering and was able to trim enough to get 33" super swampers to clear





helpful info:
www.supracharged.com
http://www.mkiiisupra.net/bbs/archiv...php/f-26.html?

creswellhick

nice rig ive always wanted a older runner......

775Toy

Nice runner. I'd defiantly go hi steer in the future if you plan on wheeling.

Outsane

I wanna see pics of the motor stuffed in there

liveoffroad

thanks, i've wanted to build one since i was 16

liveoffroad

the stock steering has impressed me so far, it's been fine on the trail. the only issues i've had have been on the highway with bumpsteer but from what i've read high-steer has the same issues. its definitely on the "to do" list though.

liveoffroad

this swap ain't gonna win a beauty contest, but it runs great and has always gotten me home!

the fit is pretty tight front to back, lots of room on the sides though

liveoffroad

well next project was the rear bumper. i'd been using a smitty-built that i got for free but it was time for something a little fancier.

cutting off the old one



some 2x3 tube....

Outsane

Nice bumper

Philbert

iTrader: (2)

great work on the bumper - do you have any more photos of the build....and larger photos?

In that last pic it looks like the side of the bumper bends UP toward the rear passenger wheel well...am I imagining that?


Any plans for a swing out tire carrier?

liveoffroad

thanks

thanks! i don't have any more photos unfortunately. everything i've posted so far is at least a year old and i didn't get a lot of pictures (didn't really consider doing a build thread at the time).

yea the bumper angles up on the corners and then follows the body lines in toward the wheel wells (props to jesse for the idea). i was wanting something low profile and simple, i'm pretty happy with how it turned out. I don't plan on a tire carrier at this point but i could always add one down the road.

liveoffroad

next up was a little paint. repainted the topper with truckbed liner, *thanks to Dirtco's luxury crawler build for the idea. turned out really well, gives it a nice texture and is pretty tough. sorry for the lack of pics during the project. here's some of a trip to moab shortly after the paint job







my buddy's rigs:

liveoffroad

right after the moab trip i tore the driveline apart, replaced the clutch and swapped out the t-case for 4.7's. best upgrade i ever did! went back to moab the following month to try it out... couldn't believe the difference. went from burning my clutch up every obstacle to crawlin.

Also rattle-canned the tailgate

here's me on chinaman's, summer '11 at the Jamboree

liveoffroad

update:
I got a dropped drag link for free from a friend so i was finally able to move my front axle forward. I cut about 1" off of each end and that gave me enough adjustment to put the rear-up-front hybrid packs that i've had sitting in my garage. it raised the front another 2" or so and moved my axle about 2.5" forward from stock.



This also allowed me to mount up my 35" mtrs:

liveoffroad

threw some paint on the wheels:

Moab January 2012:

yotaman85

looking good! the rear bumper did look funny in the first pictures but after seing the side shot i see what you did.. i like it.

liveoffroad

yea the idea kind of came while we were building it, it looked weird to wrap it around level with the back tube so that's what we came up with. now i have to figure out how i want to do the front....

liveoffroad

more wheelin' pics:






delete post?

kalmah

Wow good job. It's nice to see you got a decent sized radiator with a pull fan in there. Have you had any oil pressure issues off-camber?

I'm in the middle of my 7MGTE swap and gathering the last of the parts to get it adapted to my W56. I plan on keeping the motor as stock as possible to keep the drivetrain from imploding. I'm thinking while offroading the turbo shouldn't generate too much extra heat since no boost is generated due to the lack of engine load.

liveoffroad

Ya getting a cooling system to fit was the biggest issue with the swap. i ended up using a 3.0 v6 radiator from a '93 4runner. turns out it bolts right in and is a bit bigger than the 4 cyl one. i've ran a couple different fan configurations but i finally got it down to a 12" and 7" puller fan with a 10" pusher for an overload. stays nice and cool now. i haven't had any oil pressure issues at all surprisingly but still keep a close eye on the guage when i'm wheelin'...that was/is one of my biggest fears with the 7m motor.
sounds like you got a neat build goin, it'll be a lot of fun to have that turbo on the road. are you having a custom bell-housing made?